Power-operated wrench



July 19, 1949.

v D. H. FERGUSON POWER-OfERATED WRENQH 3 Sheets Sheet 1 Filed April 3, 1945 D. H. FERGUSON POWER-OPERATED WRENCH July 19, 1949.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 3, 1945 Inventor Attorneys D. H- FERGUSON POWER-OPERATED WRENCH July 19, 1949.

Fi;ed April 3, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 19, 1949 UNITED OFFICE:

, POWER-=QPERATED WRENCH 1 Duncan. Fcrzus fi; Broken BO N brap'ls icatie dpril 31, 1945 serial No; 58634? My invention relates to improvements in newer operated Wrenches, the primary object in view being to provide a simply constructed, inexgierisive hydraulically-operated Wrench equipped for pro-setting to predetermine the torque to be applied and which is adapted for use applying torque to such devices as bolts, nuts, and taps and reamers, drill bits and the like, and iseasy to handle and control. v

Other and subordinate objects are also goinprehehded by my invention, all of which, to ether with the precise nature of my improvements, will be readily understood when the succeeding escription and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part (if this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in plan of my improved Wrench, in a preferred embodiment thereof,

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation, 'partly broken away and shown in section, h

Figure 3 is a View in longitudinal section taken on the line 3' 3 of Figure 1 and drawn to an enlarged scale,

Figure 4 is a similar view taken on the line" 4 4' of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a View in horizontal section taken onthe line 5---5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4,

Figure 7 is a view in longitudinal section of the direction control valve,

Figure 8 is a View in horizontal section-taken on the line 8+8 of Figure 3;

Referring to the drawings by numerals; my improved wrench, as illustrated therein; comprises a handle I of elongated straight form pro-'- vided with a generally oval hollow head 2 atthe front end thereof extending lengthwise from said handle. The head 2 embodies an hydraulically operated motor which, preferably, is (if the type" comprising a pair of twin gear rotors 3 4, pro vided with a pair of diametricallyopposite-iine peller blades 5' adapted to revolveiri t-Wiri, interlapping, substantially circular ehamber's it, I in the head 2 which are spaced apart lengthwise ofsaid head and are open at the top or the Wren-eh; Each rotor is formed with a pair'ofdiametri eally opposite clearance notches 8'- for the blades 5 of the otherrotor, and said rotors are provided with intermeshing teeth 9 between the blades 5"a'nd notches 8.

i A- cap plate Ill suitably secured to the head 2', for instance, by screws H, elosess'aid' chambers 6, l. The rotor 3' revolves about a tubular" mai- 4 clause (01. isle-eel z arbor I2 extending axially from the bottom of a suitable hydraiilicpressure gauge l3 countersunk in the top of the cap plate Ill and suitably fixed therein with a sight glass 14, a glass retain-ing ring l5- and an indicating hand I 6 moving over the usual graduations H. A tubular bushing 18 surrounds the arbor l2 and to which the rates a is suitably fixed, the bushingbeing a wear-ro sisting element, as will be obvious; The other rotor: l, which is farthest from the handle I.,. is suitably fixed to a driven spindle I9 having one end fitted in an axial socket 2B, in said rotor, said spindle extending through a bearing unit ii in the bottom 22 of the head 2 and out rot-said bot: tom,- andbeing equipped at its outer end Witha head 23 having a springy-pressedball detent 24. therein and for use with the usual bolt or out: turning socket adapted, not shown. A sealing ring 25 is provided in the bottom 2-2 around the spindle I9 to prevent oil from escaping from around said spindle, and is secured in place by a suitable nut 26 turned into said bottom.

Means are provided for introducing hydraulic pressure to the described motor comprising apa'ir of conduits 21, 28 extending longitudinally through the handle I and head 2 for connection, under control of a valve, presently described, to a; pair of conduits 21', 28 in said head 2 extende' ing to opposite sides of the head 2,- s'aid conduits 21, 28- opening into the chambers B, i in a some nion plane intersectihg'the c'ommondiametrical line of the rotors 3,- land intermediate the axis of said rotors; A pair of nipples 29, 30' are tapped into the rear-end of the handle- I in communie cation with said conduits 2:1, 28- with a pair of hose lines 3|, 32 connected. thereto", as at 33', 3-4, to be connected to the output andreturn sides of a suitable oil pump, not shown. Since, as will presently more clearly appear, the conduits 21, 21 on the one hand arid the conduits 28, 28 on the other hand constitute inlet and discharge conduits-respectively, in one direction ofopera: tion of the sioind'le l9; to Wit, left hand rotation, in which boltsor nuts are unscrewed, said conduits will be hereihaftei referee to accordingly; A settable" direction control vane 35 is hrovi'ded in the bottom 2-2 of the head 2 for reversing the direction or peration of the described met r: and spindle E9"; The valve 35-is or plug type rdt'ataibly fitted i-na'bore 36 extending; int'o'sai-d bette acz rrem'ene side thereof, said valve separatiiig" the inlet conduits 2-1, 21 and the dischargee'ondtiitsf 28, 28" sndbemg retainedin saidtere or a; cart spring 31 and a cap 38. The valve 35 is provided with a-pair" of ehd' transverse torts 3'9,-

40 which, in one setting of said valve 35 are aligned with and open said inlet conduits 21, 21' and the discharge conduits 28, 28', whereas, in another setting of 90, said conduits are cross connected by the following means. A pair of diagonal conduits 4|, 42 are provided in said valve 35 which, in said other setting, establish communication between the inlet conduit 21 and the discharge conduit 28' by way of the conduit 42, and also establish communication between the inlet conduit 21' and the discharge conduit 28 by way of the conduit 4|. Thus, said other setting of the valve 35 introduces pressure to the motor from the inlet conduit 21 by way of the discharge W duit 21' and discharge conduit 28 to reverse the 7 motor and consequently reverse the wrench. A duct 43 in the bottom 22 of the head 2 extends laterally from the inlet conduit 21 to the inner end of the arbor [2 so that the pressure in the inlet conduit 21 is always indicated by the pressure gauge l3. The valve 35 has a stem 44 extending out of one side of the head and equipped with a setting lever 45 acting as an indicator hand for registration with markings on said head indicating the difierent settings of the valve. As will hereinafter more clearly appear, in the firstdescribed setting, the motor is driven in a direction to operate the spindle head 23 for left hand turning of bolts and nuts, in the second-mentioned setting, the motor and spindle are reversed for operation of the spindle in right hand turning of bolts and nuts. The valve 35 is capable of being turned to a closed, or off, setting, not shown, from which it may be turned to the two previously described settings successively and also may be turned into a trial setting position intermediate the first two described settings and in which said valve is closed without reversing the wrench and a trial reading of the gauge 13 may be had. The markings on the head 2 appropriately designate the different positions of the setting lever 45 for the various settings of said valve 35. Adjacent the head 2, a pressure-selecting valve is provided in the handle I for by-passing pressure from the inlet conduit 21 back into the discharge conduit 28 in advance of the valve 35. The pressure-selecting valve comprises a stem 45 threaded through a suitable packing gland 41 threaded into the handle i and provided at its outer end With a hand grip head 48. The inner end of the stem, 43 is provided with a flange 49 bearing against a spring 50 interposed between said flange and a valve member 5| yieldingly urged by said spring against a seat 52 surrounding a bypass port 53. provided between the inlet conduit 21 and the discharge conduit 28. By settin the stem 46, the pressure exerted by the spring 50 may be varied, against the valve member 51, so as to close the valve or to vary the amount of hydraulic pressure passing to the motor in a manner which will be clear.

Adjacent the rear end of the handle I, a manually controlled valve is provided for starting or stopping the motor. The manually controlled valve 54 comprises a stem 55 extending through a packing gland 56 turned into the handle I, the stem 55 being slidable in said gland 56 in intersecting relation to the discharge conduit 28 and provided with a conical head 51 adaptedto seat in a similarly-shaped by-pass port 58 provided in the handle I between the inlet and discharge conduits 21, 28. A suitably arranged coil spring 59 interposed between a flange 60 on said stem 55 and a nut 5| threaded into an opening 62 in the handle I normally urges the stem in a direction to unseat the head 51. A suitable hand lever 63 pivoted on the handle I, as at 64, for pressing against the stem 55 provides for operating said stem in opposition to the spring 59 to seat the valve member 51.

A socket 65 is provided in cap plate [0 in axial alignment with the spindle I9 and with a springpressed ball detent 66 in the socket. The socket 65 and detent 66 are for use in turning hand taps, reamers, and drill bits using the wrench in the ordinary manner.

A post 61 is slidably mounted at one end, as

at 68, in a longitudinal guideway 69 in the handle I for adjustment along said handle to project laterally therefrom and is provided with a head 10 similar to the head 23 for use with th usual socket member, not shown, for attaching the post to a bolt head, or nut, on an engine or the like, to hold the handle I when the wrench is being used substantially stationary. A pilot post 1| extends from the cap plate 10 into a short bushing 12 fixed in an axial socket 13 in the rotor 4 to form a bearing for said rotor at the top of the wrench. A screw 14 is threaded through the bottom of said socket 13 into the spindle I9 to hold the same in the socket 20.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suflice to impart a clear understanding of my invention without further explanation, since the operation has been set forth in connection with the description of parts.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departin from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A wrench comprising a handle, a head on one end of the handle, a reversible rotary hydraulic motor in said head, a rotary spindle extending out of the head for driving the work and to which said motor is operatively connected, means to introduce hydraulic pressure to said motor forming a fluid circuit in which the motor is interposed and in which the fluid flows in opposite directions through said handle longitudinally thereof, and means to reverse the flow of fluid through the circuit and through the motor to reverse said motor.

2. A wrench comprising a handle, a head on one end of the handle, a reversible rotary hydraulic motor in said head, a rotary spindle extending out of the head-for driving the work and to which the motor is operatively connected, means to introduce hydraulic pressure to said motor forming a fluid circuit in which the motor is interposed and in which the fluid flows in opposite directions through said handle longitudinally thereof, and means in said head for reversing the flow of fluid through said circuit comprising a valve having a pair of ports therein for cross connecting opposite sides of the circuit.

3. A wrench comprising a handle, a head on one end of the handle, a reversible rotary hydraulic motor in said head, a rotary spindle extendingout of the head for driving the work and to which the motor is operatively connected, means to introduce hydraulic pressure to said motor through said handle and head to operate said motor in opposite directions, respectively; comprising a hydraulic circuit in which the motor is interposed means to predetermine the direction of o rat cn f aidmotor y the hydraulic pressure, and means to selectively vary the degree of hydraulic pressure introduced to said motor comprising a valve for by-passing fluid from one side of the circuit to the other.

4. A wrench comprising a handle, a head at one end of the handle, a reversible rotary hydraulic motor in said head, a rotary driving spindle ex tending out of the head and to which the motor is operatively connected, a pair of inlet and discharge conduits, respectively, extending into said handle, a. pair of inlet and discharge conduits, respectively, in said head extending to opposite sides of said motor, a valve in said head for establishing communication between the inlet conduits of the pair and between the discharge conduits of the pair to introduce fluid under pressure to one side of the motor and discharge such fluid from the other side of the motor and thereby operate said motor in one direction, said valve being settable to cross connect one of the inlet conduits with one of the discharge conduits and the other of the discharge conduits with the other of the inlet conduits to reverse the direction of flow of the fluid to and from the sides of the motor and reverse said motor, and a valve in said handle for by-passing the fluid from one conduit in the handle to the other conduit in said handle to thereby stop the motor.

DUNCAN H. FERGUSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 713,342 Phifer Nov. 11, 1902 933,326 McCune Sept. 7, 1909 1,090,603 Dodds Mar. 17, 1914 1,205,485 Schumacher Nov. 21, 1916 1,298,007 Cheney Mar. 25, 1919 1,812,816 Weaver June 30, 1931 2,155,205 Rodgers Apr. 18, 1939 2,159,232 Shaflf May 23, 1939 2,282,977 Mast May 12, 1942 2,292,146 Meunier Aug. 4, 1942 2,374,400 Westervelt Apr. 24, 1945 2,385,419 Matulich Sept. 25, 1945 2,397,519 Anthony Apr. 2, 1946 

